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Topic: European made lapsteels |
Michael Greer
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 19 Dec 2012 3:09 pm |
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I just purchased this unique lap steel made in the Soviet Union ( attached pic) and was wondering about other european lap steels....We all love our Fenders and Gibsons but am curious if memebers have any pictures to share of Lap steels made in european countries.
Also, not sure about the electronics....this guitar has two sockets that plud in ....suspect the residential power supply in Russia is different voltage.
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 19 Dec 2012 4:01 pm
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I think the power supply voltage depended upon how fast the Wife could pedal.
James. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2012 4:36 pm
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Thanx to the www I've come to love the funkiness of Soviet guitars, at least the looks, most probably don't play worth... much.
But I really dig Vox Humana steels, kinda the Davoli's of the steel world. They used to show up on ebay, but not lately. I nearly had a dbl. 6 that was used in the Kalima Hawaiians, a post WW2 Dutch group.
There's also the fanciful Commodore's from Australia, of which there's a cool thread to search for here. |
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Rune Alm
From:
Sweden
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Peter den Hartogh
From:
Cape Town, South Africa
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Michael Greer
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 8:33 am
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Gents
thanks for your replies. The Vox Humana and Commadores certainly are beautiful looking ......I think I will get my wife a new bike.
Were there any lap steels made in England ,Scotland or Ireland during the 40,s ,50's,60"s ? |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 10:45 am
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One of my favorite lap steels, a Framus S8, which features a retuning device built into the bridge, similar to the Hipshot Trilogy, by which you can change the tuning at the flick of a few levers. Great tone. I believe they were made in Germany. They also made twin neck and triple neck models. My friend Basil Henriques used to have the triple neck model, but he sold it because it was too heavy to take around on gigs. Of course, if you can change tunings on the fly, it obviates the need for three necks with bridge tuners on each.
Last edited by Alan Brookes on 11 Jan 2014 5:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 11:16 am
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| Peter den Hartogh wrote: |
| Ron, did the Kilima Hawaiians (founded in 1934) use Dutch Vox Humana guitars? I suppose this was during the war when US imports were forbidden by the Germans? |
Peter, evidence says that whomever the steeler was for them at the time used the dbl. 6 I mentioned, maybe a DeFrietas, but that's the only example I know of and never found more about that guitar, but at one time saved all the pix of this unique steel. No doubt steels were extra scarce during the war years. And I'm not suprised the group was formed prior to the war. Thanx for the info and link, I used to have that site, it's a good'n. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 12:31 pm
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| That's some serious design and construction there, Doug, goes to show the promise of good tone is in these VH's. Is/was that your's? |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 3:44 pm
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| You've been thru more than a few, Doug, what is your fave sounding steel? |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 4:09 pm
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| Yes, Doug, but all those instruments mentioned are American. I guess you're answering the question asked, but this topic is about European lap steels. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 4:30 pm
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| Russia isn't part of Europe. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 20 Dec 2012 5:06 pm
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Sorry bout' the topic drift but
over here even if Russia is not in the EEC/CEE or European Union, , a good part of it is considered to be Europe
The Ural Mountains form a north-south range that divides Europe and Asia
Ladoga and Onega, two of the largest lakes in Europe
the Volga is the longest river in Europe
European Russia (also Western Russia or Central Russia) refers to the Western areas of Russia that lie within Europe, comprising roughly 3,960,000 square kilometres (1,528,560 mi²), larger in area than India, and spanning across 40% of Europe. Its Eastern border is defined by the Ural Mountains and in the South it is defined by the border with Kazakhstan. This area includes Moscow and St. Petersburg
Last edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 21 Dec 2012 5:53 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Robert Shafer
From:
United Kingdom
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Jussi Huhtakangas
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 21 Dec 2012 1:12 am
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
One of my favorite lap steels, a Framus D10, which features a retuning device built into the bridge, similar to the Hipshot Trilogy, by which you can change the tuning at the flick of a few levers. Great tone. I believe they were made in Germany. They also made twin neck and triple neck models. My friend Basil Henriques used to have the triple neck model, but he sold it because it was too heavy to take around on gigs. Of course, if you can change tunings on the fly, it obviates the need for three necks with bridge tuners on each. |
My first steel was that same Framus model except for the tuning changer device. I was 14 and didn't know squat about tunings or how to play in general and there was nobody to teach so I sold it to a friend. It did have nice tone! |
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Michael Greer
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 21 Dec 2012 2:57 am
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Doug
were any modifications required for the Framus to operate on 120 USA/Canadian electrical current?
Did the Framus have two sockets in its body for a double ended cord to plug in?
thanks
mike
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Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 21 Dec 2012 6:29 am
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Here`s a 25" lap steel custom made for me here in Finland by Ville Tyyster.
Lollar Chicago steel bridge pup, custom made tapped humbucker neck by Rami Hakala. I have a 27" version, too.
335 -type body, center block, hollow wings.
Acoustic type bridge with a piezo pup.
This does it all, more or less....
 
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Olli Haavisto
Finland |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 21 Dec 2012 7:45 am
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| Quote: |
were any modifications required for the Framus to operate on 120 USA/Canadian electrical current?
Did the Framus have two sockets in its body for a double ended cord to plug in? |
The Framus Bali had one of those screw-on output plugs (amphenol) that had metric threads. My amphenol connector would not screw onto it, so I had my local guitar shop change the output over to a standard 1/4". They had a hard time installing it because the body was so thin. Other than that there were no issues.
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My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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